MATCH OF THE ROUND
WARNERS BAY FC 5-1 MAITLAND FC
Warners Bay are on the cusp of becoming the inaugural NPL Women’s NNSW premiers after securing a hard-fought 5-1 victory over Maitland on Saturday night.
It was a brilliant start from the Magpies who were dominating the Panthers for the opening minutes at John St Oval.
But things changed in the blink of an eye when Tara Andrews opened the scoring in the fifth minute following a well-worked cutback from Lauren Allan.
Maitland had the opportunity to draw level moments later but for fine work from Ally Boertje who denied Sophie Stapleford the equaliser.
Seconds after the missed chance for the Magpies, Elodie Dagg squandered her chance on goal while Andrews’ effort minutes later was expertly saved by Imogene Tomasone.
After setting up Andrews in the opening minutes of the first half, Allan grabbed herself a goal in the 37th minute and give her side a two-goal buffer heading into the second half.
Just like the opening 10 minutes of the first half Maitland came out all guns blazing.
The pressing and high energy approach seemingly revitalised the Magpies, with the visitors grabbing a goal through Kiarra Lewis’ fabulous looped header left Panthers custodian Boertje stranded.
But the celebrations were short lived for the Magpies as Cassidy Davis restored the Panthers’ two-goal advantage with a well-struck volley that flew into the top left corner one minute later.
After overcoming a small patch of dominance from the Magpies, chances started to fall the way of Warners Bay midway through the second half.
Allan, Andrews and Davis all combined to help set up the Panthers’ fourth goal one the hour mark which allowed Dagg to make up for her missed chance earlier in the game.
Davis continued to cause headaches for the Maitland defence. In the 75th minute her whipped ball into fellow Newcastle Jets player Andrews saw the lethal striker beat two players before calmly slotting the ball home to secure the result.
Warners Bay head coach Craig Atkins said he was impressed in how his side kept their composure during a tight opening 10 minutes against the Magpies.
“Maitland came very well prepared and the first 10 minutes or so it was one hell of a game and Maitland really put it to us but we kept our composure and we were able to pinch that first goal and I thought that's what good teams do,” Atkins said.
“I thought we were very resilient there and that first goal was really important today because Maitland for me are one of the better football sides we’ve played.
“What a performance again. We conceded the one goal and we're always trying to keep that clean sheet which we have for a number of weeks now but the girls were working really hard for each other all night to play in our style of football.
“They'll really reflect and be frustrated with themselves because they didn't put them away but it's a nice result for us as well. Lauren Allan and particularly in the first half and Sophia Laurie, again were really solid, Tara Andrews up top showed some really good touches today.”
Warners Bay will now turn their attention to Adamstown Rosebud JFC who they will meet at Speers Point in the final round, while the Magpies will meet New Lambton FC at Alder Park.
NEW LAMBTON 1-14 CHARLESTOWN AZZURRI
Charlestown took a huge step towards securing third place and a home semi-final when they thrashed New Lambton 14-1 on Saturday.
Azzurri bounced back from their defeat to premiers-elect Warners Bay with a dominant display at Allen Davis Field, with Lori Depczynski, Summer Taube and Indianna Asimus netting 12 goals between them.
Tamara Nash and Katerina Papaspiropoulos grabbed the other two goals for Niko Papaspiropoulos’s team.
New Lambton did manage to grab a goal back through Phoebe Collyer as her long-distance chip left Taylah Gray rooted to the spot in the 65th minute.
Papaspiropoulos was happy with the victory but felt his side could have been more clinical in front of goal against the Eagles.
“We weren’t as clinical as we would have liked to be and at times, we just lost a bit of rhythm in terms of how we obviously want to play so it was a little bit disappointing,” Papaspiropoulos said.
“So we wanted to make sure we try and adjust that so we got a few more goals in the second half but not our best performance. But still a comfortable win which is positive and we move on to next week.
“We want to be looking at every game as a finals game and make sure we’re zoned in and sort of setting the standards we want to have come finals time.
“They definitely could have had a few more and definitely need to be a bit more ruthless and clinical in the final third, because in games where you might not have as many chances those are the ones that are going to hurt you so we're well aware and the players are as well.”
It was an even bigger result for Charlestown given Newcastle Olympic’s slip up against Adamstown in the race for third place.
Charlestown Azzurri will now meet Olympic in a high-stakes match to potentially determine who will finish third in their rescheduled round 15 match in the only match next weekend.
NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC 3-3 ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD JFC
Adamstown Rosebud JFC scored two late goals to secure a thrilling 3-3 draw against Newcastle Olympic on Sunday to dent Olympic’s hopes of a third-placed finish.
Rosebud took the early lead at Darling Street, with Josie Morley’s eighth minute free kick taking a wicked deflection to leave Natalie Wiseman wrongfooted.
Newcastle Olympic fired back quickly through Jemma House in the 11th minute as she was played in behind and her first-time effort fired right past Olivia Sneddon to restore parity only three minutes after going behind.
Kimberly Trappett had a golden opportunity to put her side ahead in the 34th minute but a point-blank range save from Wiseman kept Olympic in the game.
Next it was House’s chance to put her side in front right before half-time but her half-volleyed strike on goal rifled past Sneddon’s post which kept both sides level heading into the sheds.
The hosts found the lead in the 53rd minute through Jade Mcatamney who netted directly from a corner while five minutes later a composed finish from Laura Hall allowed Olympic to go two goals ahead with 30 minutes left.
But a lapse in concentration in the 70th minute allowed Rosebud to pull one back following an own goal off a floated ball into the penalty area.
It was redemption for Trappett and deflation for Olympic as the winger’s driving run and curling finish clawed back a point in the dying embers of the match for Ryan Campbell’s side.
But Newcastle Olympic head coach Devitis was less than impressed with Adamstown Rosebud JFC’s physical approach to the game.
“To be brutally honest I thought that was a bad football game. It was just like a kick fest, I can be nice but there was about 25 free kicks and I don't like those games if I'm being honest,” Devitis said.
“You've got to obviously try and be in a battle against teams like that and I don't think there'll be another team in the final series that plays that style because everyone else is a football team, so it should be better once we get there.
“There was no way that we should have let them get back in, so we didn't close out the game and coming to the end of the season and into finals we need to make sure we win these games.”
Olympic now face a battle to finish third. They play Azzurri in their rescheduled round 15 match next weekend before a daunting away trip to take on Broadmeadow in the final round. Olympic are one point behind Charlestown, with Azzurri hosting Mid Coast FC in the final round.
Adamstown will finish their season against premiers-elect Warners Bay.
MID COAST FC 0-7 BROADMEADOW MAGIC
Broadmeadow Magic powered their way to a 7-0 victory over Mid Coast FC in Taree on Sunday.
The victory marked 22 goals scored across two games with no goals conceded for Broadmeadow.
Lucy Jerram netted a hat-trick, two of which included impressive finishes while also grabbing an assist for the final goal. Chelsea Lucas grabbed herself a brace while Lucy Kell and Jordan Evans scored one each.
Broadmeadow Magic head coach Jake Curley was pleased with his side’s performance.
“I’m happy with the performance. I thought we created some good chances but we can improve our decision making when in possession,” Curley said.
“It was tough for Middies with so many players unavailable but a credit to them they play the game the right way.”
Magic will return home to face Newcastle Olympic at Magic Park in the final round.
Broadmeadow are three points behind Warners Bay heading into the final round but the Panthers’ vastly superior goal difference has all but assured them of the premiership.